Târgoviște was one of the most important cities in the history ofWallachia, as it was its capital from 1418 to 1659. At the2021 census, the city had a population of 66,965 people, making it the 27th largest in the country.
The nameTârgoviște is a Slavic name which the city acquired in theMiddle Ages. It is derived from the old Slavonic word for "marketplace", referring to the place rather than the market itself.
The area of Târgoviște which was first inhabited is located where theSaint Nicholas-Geartoglu Church andStelea Veche Church stand today. It was in this place that the first fortifications were built: a small stone building surrounded by a brickwall and amoat, probably belonging to a local ruler.[3] However, archaeological evidence is scarce and it is difficult to pinpoint exactly when it was erected.[3]
Another nucleus of the city was built bySaxon colonists fromTransylvania, in the area where the CatholicSaint Mary Church is located, a church that was built during the early years of the colony.[4] A local tradition says that the church was built in 1300.[4] The colonists came around the end of the 13th century and the beginning of the 14th century, the same period thatCâmpulung was colonized.[4] There is archeological evidence that the land occupied by the new colonists had been previously inhabited by locals, which leads to the conclusion that it had been approved by the local ruler.[4]
The colonists influenced the local administration, as Târgoviște was the only town in Wallachia that had Transylvanian organization features, having official titles such asbirău andfolnog, which are found in documents together with local officials, likevornic andpristav.[5] The town had anight watch which was also known by a Latin term (viglu <vigilia) instead of the local terms suchpază orstrajă.[5] UnderMircea the Elder (1383–1419), Târgoviște became the third capital of Wallachia.[6]
After 1400, the town began to grow and become denser. In both the Saxon part (around the stronghold) and the Romanian part, there were several large dwellings withcellars andcocklestoves similar to those found in Central Europe. The wealth is also known based on the number oftreasure troves discovered, the largest being ahoard of 6,284 silver coins, found in the Saxon part of the town.[5] The town gravitated around the Saxon part, this being valid until the Saxon community began its decline during the 16th century.[7]
In the 15th century, the capital of Wallachia wasCurtea de Argeș, however, due to Târgoviște's economic growth, toward the end of the century, it became a secondary residence of the Wallachian hospodar. In 1396, Bavarian travelerJohann Schiltberger mentions both Curtea de Argeș and Târgoviște as capitals of Wallachia.[7] WhileMircea I lived in Curtea de Argeș,Michael I, Mircea's son and co-prince lived in Târgoviște, where he continued to live even as a single ruler.Dan II preferred Curtea de Argeș and he was the last hospodar to rule from that city, the court being finally moved to Târgoviște byAlexandru Aldea in 1431.[7]
Throughout the period it was the capital of Wallachia, theTârgoviște Princely Court (Curtea Domnească din Târgoviște) had been constantly refurbished and extended. The compound was surrounded bystone walls and amoat and a new church and a tower had been built.[7]Vlad III Dracula ("the Impaler") later added theChindia Tower, now a symbol of the city.
Starting with 1565, for the next two centuries, the rulers alternated the capital betweenTârgoviște andBucharest, often on political reasons, as the former was preferred by the rulers who were more friendly towardTransylvania and theKing of Hungary.[8] Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, Târgoviște was a major trade hub, especially withPoland,Brașov, andSibiu.[9]
By the 16th century, theRomanians became majority in the city, as some Saxons left for Transylvania and others were assimilated. Greek merchants began to settle in the city, especially after 1500, while Greek monks settled in the nearbyDealu andPanaghia monasteries.[10]
As the capital of Wallachia, Târgoviște faced numerous sieges and invasions. In 1395, it was sieged and set on fire byBayezid I.[11] In 1457, the townsfolk of Târgoviște were punished by Vlad III Dracula for their involvement in the assassination of his brother: the elite of the city were killed, while the young were sent to work at hisPoenari Castle.[11]
The Ottoman invasion of 1462 did not reach the city, being prevented byVlad III through thenight attack at Târgoviște. In 1476, the city was taken byStephen V Báthory following a fifteen-day siege intended to restore Vlad to the throne. Several other battles were fought near the city during the rules ofNeagoe Basarab andRadu of Afumați.[11]
After the capital was finally moved toBucharest during the rule ofConstantin Brâncoveanu (1688–1714), Târgoviște lost its importance, decaying economically as its population decreased.
Târgoviște rail station in 1930. The building was inaugurated in 1884.
Târgoviște is arailway node, with branches servingTitu (joining there thePloiești andPietroșița lines).The railway station building was inaugurated on 2 January 1884, served by the then new line fromTitu to Târgoviște. This first line was built by the VIIth Rail Company of the Ist Engineering Regiment of theRomanian Army. On 27 May 1894, an extension of this line to Pucioasa was inaugurated. ThePloiești–Târgoviște branch construction was started in 1929, but officially inaugurated only on 29 June 1946.[citation needed]
The building of railway station was renovated in 2000–2004.
Today, the city is served by multiple stations:
Târgoviște (south-west of the town).
Romlux halt (north-west).
Teiș halt (former Târgoviște-Vest) (north).
Târgoviște Nord station (north-east).
Valea Voievozilor halt (east).
The railway station is open for both passenger traffic - with sales/reservation office and electronic ticketing machine - and merchandise traffic. Local halts serves the large industrial operators of the city -Mechel,Oțelinox [ro],Upet [ro],Erdemir,Romlux [ro],Rondocarton [ro].
Located at a crossroads of ancient trade routes, the city can be easily approached from all sides. Târgoviște Municipality is located approximatively 80 kilometres (50 miles) north-west of Bucharest, with a convenient access toHenri Coandă International Airport, located inOtopeni, to the north of Bucharest.
In the city,public transport is provided byPublic Transport and include bus and maxi-taxi. From 1995 until 2005,trolleybuses operated in the city. In 2005 public transport was developed and modernized, Public Transport becoming a passenger transport company in public-private partnership.[dubious –discuss]
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